Dispensing device and valve assembly therefor



Oct. 7, 1952 A. T. PHILLIPS DISPENSING DEVICE AND VALVE ASSEMBLYTHEREFQR Filed Sept. 8 1949 I 0 I I I I 3 W3 A E 2 2 111211111213 2 1132 NW A mm w z mm 8 m a w QW 3 m 3 J DQ ew hm 1 WW w MW 4/ 4.7 a? m Ms 3NW H nm n m m @N H Patented Oct. 7, 1952 as PATENT OFFICEmsrnnsmofnnvlcn AND VALVE ASSEMBLY THEREFOR.

iAlfredT. Phillips, Chicago, 111., assignor to Nationall'iackagingMachinery Repair 00., Chicago. Ill.-, acorporation of IllinoisApplication September 8, 1949, Serial No. 114,643

The present invention relates to dispensing devices and moreparticularlyto a novel dispensing device and valve assembly iordispensing apredetermined quantity of liquid. I l

Among the objects of the present invention is the-provision of a noveldispensing device for accurately measuring and dispensin such measuredquantity of liquid. M

The present invention further comprehends the provision of a novel valveassembly for dispensing a predetermined, measured quantity of liquid. Inits preferred embodiment the operation of the 'presentnovel dispensingdevice isini- *tiated by depositing a coin which energizes a solenoidactuating a valve controlling the flow of liquid or fluid to a measuredchamber oi the device. Upon such completed cycle the operatorby manuallymanipulating a plunger controls asecond valve by which he dispenses ordischarges the measured quantity of liquid into a cup or otherreceptacle or container provided for receiving the liquid beingdispensed. i l

The invention further comprehends the provision of acnovel safetyfeature comprising an interlock between the pair of control valvesWhere- .by when" thelvalve controlling the ilow into the measuredchamber is open, :the operator cannot LODGE. thevvalve controlling thedischarge from this ichamber and when the operator has=withdrawn theplunger toopen the valve controlling thedispensing of a measuredquantity of liquid,

the valve controllin the how into the chamber istincapable of beingopened, whereby to assure the continued dispensing of equal, measuredquantities of liquid each time the dispensing derice is operated. l

A further object of the present inventionis the provision of a novelliquid or fluid measuring device so constructed and arranged as to beadjfustable whereby the capacity of therneasuring chamber andthemeasured quantityof liquidto be dispensedmaybealtered. r

Further objects are tolprovide a construction of maximum simplicity,efiiciency, economy and ease of assemblyandoperation, and such furtherobjectaadvantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear andare inherently possessed thereby,

The. invention further resides in the construction, combination andarrangement of parts il- :lustrated'in the accompanying drawing, andwhile a there is shown therein a preferred; embodiment, it ;is to beunderstood that the same issusceptible .of {modification and change, andcomprehends other Ldotails, arrangementsof parts; features and; eonr so4 Claims. (01. 22 2- 440) structions without departing from the spiritthe invention.

In the. drawings:

Figurel is a view in vertical cross-section take longitudinally throughthe housing and dispensing valve assembly and showing the valve membersandassoeiated mechanism in closed or inoperative position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of the dispensingdevice... r Fig.3 is asfragmentarv view of Fig. 1 but show- .ingthedispensing valve and discharging ports open or retracted position.

Fig. .4 is a view .in vertical and transverse section taken in .a :planerepresented by the line cylindrical bore 6 adapted to slidably receive avalve plunger 1 controlling the passage of the liquid through theinlet}, and an offset .18 at its lower surface cored to provide acylindrical bore Qadapted to slidably receive a valve plunger llcontrolling the discharge through the outlet port 4.. A plate 12 atthefront and a plate 13 at the rear provide end closures for the oppositeends of the housing. These may be secured to thehousin by bolts or othersuitable attaching means l4 received threaded lugs or embossments 15 onthe housing.

Although the chamber or receptacle 2 in the housing may be formed of anydesired capacity,

the present invention oomprehends providing it with an adjustablepartition whereby the capacw V .1 ity may be varied by the operator ifthequantity oiliqu-id or any suitable beverage to be dispensed is to bealtered. "This partition may comprise a plate or disc L6 havinganinternally threaded'hub T longitudinally adjustable on athreaded stem ortie rod 18. stem or shaft has its inner end-d8 reduced and journalled ina hub or the reanendplate l3 and againsta ball or thrust bearingll, theinner end being locked inplace against longitudinal movement by a splitring 22. The opposite or outer reduced end 23 ofthe' stem :orztie rod1:8 is journalled in the hub 24 oftheefrontor end plate 12, with the end23 be- .'-interior of the end plate I3.

' of this plunger.

valve plunger I.

ing notched or recessed at 25 to receive a suitable tool for rotatingthe threaded shaft or tie rod and thereby longitudinally adjusting thepartition or disc I6 alongthe threaded portion of the stem to controlthe capacity of the chamber 2. However, to prevent unintentionaladjustment, access to the stem or tie rod It can only be secured byremoval of a threaded plug 26. To assure against leakage about thepartition, the disc or plate it is provided with a sealing washer 2Thaving wiping and sealing contact with the inplate I3 and its extremeend provided with a fiat surface 33 and pin 35 projecting laterallytherefrom, This pin is received in an elongated slot 35 in a crank-arm36 of a bell-crank 3i pivotally mounted at 38 upon a bracket 39 securedupon the exterior of the end or rear plate I 3.

' The outer end of the arm 4| of the bell-crank is pivotally connectedat 42 to an arm 43 which in turn is pivotally connected at 44 to theupper or outer end of a core E of a solenoid 46, the latter beingenergized from any suitable source of elec-. tricity through the cord3?. Energizing'this solenoid retracts its core and causes the bell-crank371' to withdraw or move the valve plunger '1 rearwardly or to the rightas viewed in Fig. 1, against the action of a spring 58 encompassing thevalve stem 3| and bearing at one end against the rear of the plunger 1and at its other end against the Thus the plunger is spring-biased toclosed position against a shoulder 59 at the forward end of the bore 6and in which position the valve plunger overlies and closes a port 5|opening into the chamber 2. To

seal against leakage, asealing washer 52' is preferably press-fitted andcarried on the forward end 28 of the valve plunger against the shoulder53 Thus when the solenoid is deenergized, the spring 48 automaticallycloses the The valve plunger controls the discharge through a port 54 onthe interior wall of the chamher 2 and opening into the outlet 4 whenthis valve plunger is withdrawn by the operator by pulling outwardly ona knob or handle 55 on the end of a valve stem 55. Like the valveplunger I, this valve plunger II is provided at its rear with a steppedreduction forming a projection 51 conformably received and slidablymounted in a bore 58 aligned with the bore 9 and a sealing washer 53 ispress-fitted onto this reduction and against the shoulder 6| on theplunger. When the valve plunger I I is retracted to closed position asshown in Fig. 1, the sealing washer 59 abuts and seals against ashoulder 62 defining the reduction be-' tween the bore 9 and the reducedbore 59.

and open the, port 54 to discharge when the valve plunger 1 is withdrawnto uncover the port 5| and permit passage from the inlet 3 through thisport 5| to the interior of the chamber 2, there is provided a safetyinterlock comprising a transverse pin or. rod 64 forming a detentlongitudinally movable or slidable in a bore in the rear or .end plate I3. This pin or rod has its opposite ends 65 rounded and each adapted tobe received in a complementary notch or recess 66 provided in the valvestem 3| of the valve plunger 1 and in the projection 51 of the valveplunger As appears from Fig. l and assuming liquid froma suitablereceptacle disposed above the inlet 3 and which may contain anybeverage, hot or cold, which is suitable for dispensing in this manner,has entered and fills the chamber 2 and with the valve plunger Ireturned to its closed position upon deenergization of the solenoid 46,it will be apparent that the knob 55 and valve plunger Il may now bewithdrawn against the tension of the spring 63. Upon such withdrawal,the lower end 65 of the pin or rod 64 can ride out of its recess 66 inthe projection 5'! and seat in the then aligned recess 66 in the valvestem 3|. Thus the latter and its valve plunger I are locked or heldagainst longitudinal movement and no liquid may enter through the inlet3 and its intake port 5| into the chamber 2 of the housing. Similarly,if the valve plunger 1 is withdrawn or moved rearwardly or to the leftfrom the position shown in Fig.- 1 by energizing the solenoid 46 whichdepresses its core 45 and actuates the bellcrank 31 and in whichposition liquid flows into the chamber-2, in such position and duringsuch filling operation the knob 55 and its valve plunger II fordischarging the liquid contained in the chamber 2 cannot be withdrawn.Thi is prevented as such movement of the plunger 7 depresses the pin orrod 64 and the lower end 65 thereof is forced into the notch or recess66 in the projection 51 whereby the valve plunger II is locked or heldagainst movement until the filling is completed, the solenoid isdeenergized and the spring ls moves the valve plunger 1 to its normallyclosed position.

Energizing the solenoid to retract the valve plunger I and thereby openthe inlet port 5| to the chamber 2, is preferably accomplished by theinsertion of a coin into a slot 67 and the turning of a handle 68disposed on a face plate 69 at the front of the housing. The solenoidremains energized until the chamber is filled with the measured quantityof liquid, whereupon the operator may withdraw the knob or handle 55 todischarge the contents of the chamber into acup or other receptacle. Anysuitable mechanism for opening' the circuit to the solenoid when thechamber is filled may be employed.

Having thus disclosed the invention; I claim:

1. A liquid dispensing device and valve assembly therefor comprising ahousing having a chamber of predetermined capacity for dispensing ameasured quantity of liquid and spaced bores in the housing extendinglongitudinally thereof, an inlet controlling passage to the chamber andan outlet controlling discharge therefrom, a reciprocatory valve memberin one bore for controlling the passage through the inlet and to closedposition and locatedoutside the liquid chamber, means operated'uponinsertion o'f a.

coin for moving the valve member controlling the inlet to open positionto permit the passage through the inlet and into the chamber of aquantity of liquid to fill said chamber, and manually operated meansoperable only when the inlet valve member is moved to and locked inclosed position for moving the valve member controlling the outlet toopen position to permit discharge and emptying of the chamber.

2. A liquid dispensing device adapted to be connected to a beveragecontainer for successively dispensing a predetermined quantity of thebeverage, comprising a housing adapted to be connected to the containerand having a chamber for receiving a measured quantity of the beverageto be dispensed into a cup or other receptacle and bores extendinglongitudinally of said housing and spaced from the beverage chamber,means for adjusting the capacity of said chamber, an

inlet opening into said chamber intermediate its ends and connected tothe beverage container and an outlet from said chamber intermediate itsends for discharging the contents into the receptacle, a valve includinga valve member movable in one of said bores longitudinally of said 1housing for controlling the inlet to the chamber, a valve including avalve member movable in the other of said bores longitudinally of thehousing for controlling the outlet therefrom andthe discharge of thecontents, a coin-actuated solenoid for operating the inlet valve wherebythe liquid the chamber in the upper and lowerpart of the housing, meansfor adjusting the capacity of said container, an inlet valve assemblymounted in the bore in the upper part of the housing and an outlet valveassembly mounted in the bore in the lower part of the housingforcontrolling the inlet to and the outlet from the chamber, each valveassembly including a slidable valve member movable in its borelongitudinally of the housing and spring-biased to closed position,power-actuated mechanism for operating the valve member controllingpassage through the inlet, manually-actuated means for operating thevalve member controlling passage through the outlet. and interlockingmeans in the end Wall of the housing connecting said valve members andincluding a transverse member actuated by movement of either valvemember for engaging the other valve member and thereby prevent openingof one valve when the other valve is open.

4. A liquid dispensing device and valve assembly therefor comprising ahousing having a chamber of predetermined capacity for dispensing ameasured quantity of liquid and a pair of bores spaced from the chamber,an adjustable partition in the chamber for varying its capacity, aninlet controlling passage to the chamber and an outlet controllingdischarge therefrom, separate valve members each mounted in a bore inthe housing and spaced from the chamber for controlling the passage ofliquid through the inlet into the chamber and for controlling thepassage of liquid from the chamber and discharging this liquid throughthe outlet, said valve members each having a projection extending to oneend of the housing, and a safety interlock including a transverse rodconnecting the projections of said valve members to prevent opening ofone while the other is opened.

ALFRED T. PHILLIPS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the filo ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS DeVinney Sept. 27, 1932

